Kiir-iminality and misrule by Generals: Is South Sudan forever doomed?

QUOTE: “In the absence of inspired leadership, the more powerful side wears down the weaker.” Bevin Alexander

EDITORIAL ANALYSIS: MAR/28/2013, SSN;

If ever the word ‘kiir-iminality’ could be incorporated into our national lexicon, it would most appropriately provide a definition, status and activity of the most publicly blatant crimes being commissioned and committed with bravado and impunity by the ruling clique of government and cabinet replete with criminals and under the very watch of the current leadership in South Sudan.

Unarguably, since President Kiir and his SPLM/SPLA generals assumed power in South Sudan in 2005, the newly-created South Sudan nation has witnessed such bewildering acts of thievery and misrule by these newly-minted military-cum-civilian rulers, or ‘Kiir’s criminals’ since the president could personally but discreetly identify all of them.

In the latest scandal that has much bedazzled the nation and in which the perpetrating ‘kiir-iminals’ will never be arrested to the chagrin of the citizens, again, is the theft of millions (or a few thousands if the government spin doctors are to be relied upon) right from the president’s highly fortified office, an Oscar-winning Hollywood scripted action that defies all imagination.

In recollection, we’ve seen previous Megamillion dollars scandals that the rule of generals in South Sudan have unrepentantly commissioned and for which no single person has ever been arrested: the 4 Billion US dollar scandal by 75 alleged but known ‘kiir-iminals’ in the government, and the infamous 2 Billion US dollar Dura scandal perpetuated also with the criminal connivance of the so-called Multi-Donor Trust Fund expatriates.

However, in all these cases and many others that have made these ‘kiir-iminals’ and the generals ostentatiously rich despite the conspicuous poverty among the general populace, no single individual has ever been arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated in prison or made to refund the loot.

Instead, the prosecutorial modus operandi hopelessly preferred by the president was to write secret letters begging the 75 ‘kiir-iminals’ implicated to ‘please’ kindly repatriate the stolen dollars into a secret bank account in Nairobi that’s only known to the president himself. So far, years have passed and the nation hasn’t been updated on how much of that money returned and by whom…. how pathetic!

Legally, what President Kiir should have done, whether all monies were repatriated or not, was to hand over the names of these suspects to the police for further investigations and trial; otherwise, the probable definition of the word ‘kiir-iminals’ become appropriate since only the President is cynically privileged to their confidence, they’re, therefore, his self-owned and self-protected ‘kiir-iminals.’

Unfortunately, as predicted by many keen observers of our nation, the inevitable regression of the newly-independent South Sudan from a prefailed state to a complete failed state is almost accomplished, a fate brought about by the misrule of the generals and party die-hards utterly unfit and unprepared to shoulder the responsibilities of the nation.

History has glaringly proven that governments under military generals, who abruptly usurped a country’s political leadership either after a guerrilla war of liberation or more commonly after a military coup, all have either retrogressed, stalled or ended up in total failure and collapse, with deleterious effects on the nation.

As typical of military rulers, as is happening in South Sudan now, most of the nation’s money instead has been diverted into the insatiable Black Hole of an immensely bloated military budget which is inexplicably and arbitrarily exempted completely from any audit or transparency.

Irrefutably, in Africa, military juntas of such infamies as those of ‘Field Marshalls’ Bokassa and Idi Amin, or Generals Mobutu, Abache, Abboud, Mengisto and Siad Barre or the primitive Sergeant Samuel Doe of Liberia, all have clearly attested to the fact that generals or sergeants are totally unsuited to rule any country where democracy and constitutionality are supposed to prevail.

In our particularity of South Sudan, where bush-promoted guerrilla generals, most of whom haven’t had even the slimmest opportunity to attend some military college instruction or preparedness, leave alone completing basic primary school, have been suddenly pole-vaulted to top government positions from the presidency downwards, we are forever doomed as a failed state unless…….

More poignantly, just prior to assuming total governance in the country, the soon-to-be national army, was seriously divided and their top leaders figuratively and literally at each others throats, whence tribalism and sectarianism became overriding elements especially after the famous Rumbek confrontation between late Garang and the current commander and president.

It’s no wonder therefore that after more than eight years of state-sanctioned ‘kiir-iminality’ and misrule by these generals, the entire government has severely diverted from the much-cherished goals of liberation into goals of self-perpetuation and self-enrichment by a few, for which every tribe, regardless of numbers, had dearly paid for.

Historically and infamously, governments of, for and by generals, however much clothed in some cosmetic democracy with dubiously predetermined ‘national elections,’ have performed abysmally poorly in the fight against corruption, on the rule of law and on promotion of economic development of the country.

South Sudan, sadly, has become a pathetic epitome of the paradigm of failed military rule; the whole countryside is badly riddled with mortal rebellions, sectarian strife, economic depravity, starvation, famine, non-existent medical, educational or social services delivery.

Acceptably, despite being a resources (primarily oil, land, water and minerals) rich country, and despite starting our nationhood with billions of dollars in the government coffers, the political blunders recklessly commissioned by the government have irreversibly set the new country on the reverse course to perpetual doom.

What’s our future likely to be? For one, we’ll never be like Botswana, the jewel of Africa; more likely, we’ll be another Central African Republic, a ‘Democratic’ Republic of Congo, a Chad, or a more precipitous Somalia, unless some providential intervention saved the nation.

More aggravatingly, however, the government and its ‘kiir-iminals’ have unashamedly sold the future prosperity of the country for short-term survival gains and battered its sovereignty for exploitation by NGOs and the unscrupulous foreign investors/interests.

Lastly, what credibility does the President still have when, as they say, “he’s running with the hares and hunting with the hounds (dogs)?” It’s time President Kiir stopped glorifying and romancing with corruption with such impunity and without any recourse to morality or the law.

I am entitled in my disagreement for President! He should step down from the power in the government at once! His problem on stolen money in the office has RUINED HIM AND HIS GOOD REPUTATION IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND ENTIRE WORLD TERRIBLY!!!! I do not believe on his alleged claim on money! His office is well guarded with well armed soldiers everyday day and night. Thieves, prowlers, burglars and office boys, they could not be able to steal money in the president office! This is big shame for the Southerners in the country in Sudan! God bless South!

Dear editor,
One reason Salva Kirr cannot arrest or expose any one of the 75 corrupt official in his government is because president Kirr himself is one of the 75 people who have stolen the 4 billion and all the monies that disappeared in South Sudan; that’s why if he opens his mouth, the rest will say he is part of the theft. These guys are a group of gangs who’re good at covering themselves up. Only fortune will free South Sudan from these parasites.

The Truth is hard and bitter to digest, however it lasts much longer than a lie. In fact, I don’t normally agree with lots of nonsense and particularly the extreme views of the Anti Jieng, Nuer and/or Equatorians online. However, I must admit that you have stated the truth in your article above and I agreed with you that Kiir is part of the theft and that he should resign or be voted out from the office with his 75 thieves. Nobody can deny that Kiir had contributed heavily for the liberation of South Sudan. But will this entitle him to plunder and squander the wealth and resources of the people of South Sudan? Was he fighting all these years just to get rich with his Cousins and loyalists, the so called 75 thieves?

Please know that every tribe or race produces thieves, racists, loyalists, tribalists and/or nationalists and you can not distinguish them from the rest unless you put them in charge of something valuable to them and to the Nation as well. The 75 thieves of 4 Billion dollars are not all Dinkas but we blame President Kiir Mayardit for allowing the theft to occur in his government and kept it secret. President Kiir would have been freed from the blame if he would have made the names of 75 thieves public for us to know them and be vigilant about them and their moves or actions in the government.

Brothers/Sisters, The Arabs had enslaved us and looted more than 4.billion from South Sudan in their 50 years of rule and nobody among us had complained about them. General Kiir Mayardit and his 75 thieves have fought tirelessly and vigorously and with no Salaries for the liberation of South Sudan and because of them and our martyrs we achieved our independence and liberty. Can we forgive them for their theft of 4.Billion and vote them out of the government in 2015? The truth of the matter is this, President Kiir Mayardit, Vice President Dr.Riek Machar and Mr. James Wani Igga are all involved in the theft of 4.Billion dollars and they are among the most wanted 75 thieves. Therefore they are silent and wanted to keep the matter secret. They should all be voted out of the government of South Sudan so that they can not steal and conceal more money from our Country.

kiir, who you call the concrete of the nation, failed to bring back the stolen money or bring the thieves to justice….i wonder how kiir is going to fight corruption in south sudan if he couldn’t fight it in his own office!!!

Editor,
This is a humble and honest reflection of the current situation in our country. I thank you for putting this informative analysis for the readers.
Arguably, South is 95% at the score line of a failed state under the SPLA/M leadership. The SPLA/M leadership is a mechinery of illiterate generals, sycophants, looters and under-performances put together and protected by weak and toothless national Assembly and corrupt Judiciary. How do you expect any useful product/result from this ill-clown government? South Sudan has many able and learned nationals (scattered all over the world) who could play meaningful contribution to this nation but woefully, they are called cowards, non-liberators, and never allowed within the perimeters of this government.

The SPLA/M government is anticipating for the second phase of the oil in order to rig themselves into power by 2015 (if at all there will be elections).

I would see that these criminals whether protected now by their tribesmen in the name of national army or whatever you call them, will not end up in the Hague. These people should be prosecuted for the following war crimes and embezzlement. All the loot wherever they carry will be brought back to the country.

Bravo brother Laku Modi, i strongly agree with you that Kiir Himself cannot prosecute the 75 government thieves because the list is not complete without Him, His daughter and His kitchen Cabinet. He cannot bring himself to book. where in the world can money be stolen in the State House? he is always the one commissioning those we thought they are thieves.
All what we need is popular civilian uprising to topple him, he is wasting our resources for nothing

How would you convince the public that Kiir and 74 people had stolen 4 billion? they overpay themselves, your leaders are thieves today, tomorrow you and I will vote for them because they are your or my uncles. In 2015 vote out all governors in all ten states of South Sudan. If I was Kiir, I should make strong rules and step down. The history of nation is valuable and president Kiir is the key of new life that made South Sudan’s victory of separation.

I for one, will always believe that the naked eye sees better that binoculars in the South Sudan. What other evidence are we trying to find out? If one (Kiir) himself writes letters to thieves, broad-day-looters of public money for development of a nation still at its infancy, asking them (the 75), to return (not repatriate) or we mean, the term is only used in South Sudan English dictionary used by the thieves.
The SPLM secretary general (Pagan Amun), when he was Minister of Cabinet Affairs during the interim period with Sudan (Main-land) was sacked for saying Sudan was a failed state – What else can we say of the newest (nascent) nation in the world (South Sudan), a passed-nation or a failed state?
God! save that part of Africa and its people, which is not yet a NATION, but a land under the rule of illiterate generals from top to bottom!

Dear Bevin and commentators,
It has taken a long time enough, when we have been talking about Kiir’s Government failing on corruption. Now how can we solve such President Kiir’s issues? it will be solved by impeaching him, coup or waiting forgery election in 2015. Therefore, let’s know this, there is a time to every seasons.

Nobody has denied your Uncle Kiir’s contribution to the liberation of South Sudan. We thank him personally for what he had done to our Country. We also thank all our liberators and martyrs for liberating us from the enslavement and injustice of our former masters, Arabs. However, we can not afford to let Kiir and his Cousins and his loyalists, the so-called 75 thieves to loot all the wealth and national resources of South Sudan while the widows and orphans of the war are walking naked and starving to death.

Was your Uncle Kiir Mayardit fighting all these years just to get rich and make his Cousins and Loyalists more richer than any other South Sudanese or was he fighting for the liberation of the people of South Sudan? Don’t you and your Uncle Kiir think that we, the people of South Sudan deserve the right to share the wealth and national resources of our Country with you? Your Uncle Kiir is alive and wealthy but there are many Jieng and South Sudanese who lost their lives in the war. Are those Martyrs not for this nation too? If so, then What are you and your wealthy, Uncle Kiir Mayardit is doing about the suffering of their widows and Orphans?

Pull out all of you. Shut off your un-tortured tongues. Why do you blame kiir only and leave your uncles and mothers who also involved in stealing the public money? Shame on you all. Biased and tribalized commentators. The whole government composed of thousands employees including the officials be turned to an individual. Talk of changing the government not kiir. All the ministers including aa undersecretaries have to go back to their homes instead of pointing heedless eyes on one person. Pullout please.

What a wasted opportunity by Kiir to be remembered by history as George washington, Julious nyerere, etc… but instead he will be remembered as worse than “Field Marshalls Bokassa and Idi Amin, or Generals Mobutu, Abache, Abboud, Mengisto and Siad Barre or the primitive Sergeant Samuel Doe of Liberia.”
Oh.. what a pity, what a wasted golden opportunity to set our nation in a strong beginning for generations to come! But instead Kirr has set us up into the path of Nepotism, theft, tribalism and perpetual wars!

Not only the worst but the only president to have money stolen from the office and only president to have the banking of national money in the office rather than a bank.

While the army are killed by DYY (David Yau Yau), the president and his gangs are busy stealing. Good thing DYY killed many of the sons of the greedy trying to go and occupy Pibor. Those army should join DYY.

Dear Dinka land,
President is the head of the snake, he is the law, he makes and breaks laws of South Sudan, our constitution is just a curtain to fool the world. Kiir appointed almost half of these officials you are talking about, thus he has power to remove them, even the elected ones like that of Chol tong of Lakes.
So why until now no one has been fired in President’s office for last weekend’s ordeal? Kiir himself may be responsible for the stolen millions in his office. And it makes sense since the upcoming election is approaching really fast. He has these illegal intelligence (tigers) who are operating outside the system to pay to carry out his secret missions like that of killing Isaiah Abraham. These include the so called “contractors suspects” pay to accept the crimes not committed by them.

It is a waste of time talking to a deaf without sign language. Those crooks and illiterate generals as some like to call them, don’t understand what we the grassroots are talking about. Neither the president nor his vice will wake up to the reality unless they are voted out of the offices they are occupying.
The vice president himself during his last visit to the Dallas/Fort Worth area in North Texas, dodged the serious question of the notorious 75 thieves. Instead, he justified the act by saying that those thieves had been in the bush for long time and that some think it was their time, and I quote, “to eat” and that many are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, as if the SPLM/A is the first movement in the world to govern after a victory. Ridiculous argument from a vice president!

The writer had an indepth analysis of what is going on in the country, our problem in South Sudan is that we don’t allow constructive criticizm like this one otherwise we would not have gone or taken this path we are on now. I still feel that the Nation would come back to a right course if the people in the driving seat would have a second thought about their actions.
South Sudan is not a property but it seems our brothers and sisters in the power feel they own South Sudan and they are doing us a favour to be there. However everything has got an end, I hope that one day the leadership will wake up from the right side of their bed and will think about the plight of the citizens in the Country.

Dear Editor,
It has been a song, that all the accomplices of the 4bn$ be brought to book but what has happened?
Only to see some millions being ‘stolen’ from the heavily guarded presidential palace again. What are these unpitiful bunch of criminals up to? They are in a race to let down our country, aren’t you guys seeing? it’s about tribalism, nothing else, the own the most expensive cars and houses that even the Khalifas who are in one of the richest countries don’t drive these 2013 models of cars.

Compare and contrast Doha and Juba, how many years do we need to rich that view? These dictators are outdated, they don’t even have competition with the most poorest countries like Rwanda. They are so cynical! I wish i had the chance to speak to one of them. Now the traffic police officers, people are uncontrollably moving with guns around Juba streets; can’t you stop a car and ask them what they are carrying, check even the bonnet of the car and prove me wrong if you won’t find a Rocket Propelled Grenade.

I hope there is a transition of power soon from the governors, to Ministers up to the president. I wish all the democracy yearners good luck! let’s try our to best to oust these guys

I don’t think that South Sudan is doomed. One man cannot make entire nation and her people doomed. You are right because one has a title of nation’s presidency. Anything went wrong can be his fault, but the man doesn’t have educational qualification to begin with in first place.
The job is too big for him and he cannot handle. I respect him for his service for our nation, but he’s embarrassing himself by accepting a harder job on the face of the earth. Now, things get even harder for him. Am sorry for president and he misled himself and his record is not going to be pretty at all.